So Many Birthdays! (Georgia + Catch Up 8/30)

Catch Up 8/30

1). Fitness Update

Remmeber how I joined a gym? Well, I cancelled it and restarted Fit4Mom. Emmie was just so miserable there, and I wasn’t getting any use out of it. The daycare triggered Emmie’s separation anxiety, and while, yes, we will certainly get her to a point where that is not a problem in the future, 18/19 months is not the time, and a gym daycare, without childcare professionals, is not the place. Not their fault!

So I rejoined Fit4Mom, and I am so happy that I did. I had such fun at the classes I went to, I actually got a workout, and Emmie wasn’t distraught! Plus, then there was playtime and social time for all. It is just the right fit for us.

At the lake, I did daily walks while Emmie napped, and I did push ups, dips, and planks.

2) Dad’s 70th Birthday Trip

a) Birthday party

Dad’s birthday party at Ecco was a smashing success (great job, Mom!). Ecco is a special place a) because is it an amazingly delicious place and such a cool space but b) because it is literally 1 block away from my dad’s old office, a building that he converted to loft apartments in the 90s. We saw Ecco emerge from a building conversion itself, and we have been patrons from the start. Dinner was delicious, but the people made the party–so many old friends and fantastic people. I had a great time catching up with them!

We continued the festivities at the lake house (my parents’ permanent residence), taking a few friends as well as my brother and aunt out there. Alex, my aunt and brother left on Sunday, and our friends on Monday, and then we had birthday dinner on Wednesday night (his actual birthday) after hors d’oeurves at our friends’ house.

Oh, and my dad got his birthday waterski in! Still killing it!

b) morning adventure in the city

Saturday morning (after the party), we woke up and were feeling much more bright eyed and bushy tailed than the majority of the folks, and being so close to Centennial Olympic Park, we took Emmie up there and romped around for an hour–girl was worn out! But she loved being out in “the sit-tee” (as she called it), and I loved being out there, too!

Showing Puppy

Puppy’s view

c) Sleeping in the hotel bed with her

The nap the first day in Atlanta didn’t go so well. Long story short, we had a first for us–Emmie sleeping in the crook of my arm on the hotel bed. Luckily, she didn’t have a problem that night!

A post shared by The Lemmer Zoo (@lemmerzoo) on Aug 28, 2019 at 12:44pm PDT

e) big girl Emmie

Emmie got to be a big girl so many times on this trip. She ate real meals (mmmmm chicken nuggets and past at the table with the adults!), got her own seat on the plane (she did great on both flights!), and just generally showed how mature she is actuallly getting. The difference from May/June to now is startling!

f) Emmie on the boat

Em looooved going on the boat thist ime–I think the life jacket was more comfortable for her–and she even got to “drive!” This time, she said “whee” over some wakes and some bursts of speed, and both times after she got off the boat, she did NOT want to take the life jacket off! She was hilarious.

g) lots of time with my parents

A super huge highlight for me was obviously so much time with my parents. Last time I was there, I was on crutches and beyond anxious about my back. This time, we just got to relax. I was ready to come home, but I wish I could have brought them with me!

h) Emmie and GayGhee

Ohhhhh GayGhee aka Galen. You were such a good boy and so careful with her. She would get up in the morning and look through the door for you. She would shriek your name when she saw you in the house. Good, good, boy, Gayghee.

3) Emmie and Brian

Bucket list item has been checked off, and my Mom can now live a happy, carefree life. Emmie seeing Brian and getting to ride him was so exciting not just because he is a horse, but because he is MY horse. As I’ve told you all before, this is my buddy; he is the one that helped get me out of bed when I was my sickest (we got him the birthday that I started getting sick with Crohns). I’ve had him since I was 13, and he and I are the same age! He still comes when I call him, even from the opposite end of the pasture, and even with his arthritic joints (several of his joints are basically fused due to arthritis). Brian is forever my buddy.

Last time we brought Emmie out to the farm, she wasn’t so sure about Brian, even though she reached out to Ronan. This time, there was no fear! She immediately reached out to and gestured to him to come to her! She was so excited to see him, and she gave him pats without hesitation. When we went to the other side of the fence, she stayed over close to him and wanted to go back in!

She was a bit unsure the first time we put her on him, and when we came back on Wednesday, she wasn’t sure she wanted to get back on him. But as soon as we had her up there, she had a great time! Watch the video all the way through 😀

So, basically, sorry, Alex, but she is going to want a pony….

4) More Birthdays!

The weekend before my dad’s birthday weekend was also filled with birthday celebrations! It started with 30th Birthday Dinner for Justin. I had a terrible migraine and wasn’t sure if I could power through, but I knew I wanted to try,. It took 2 diet cokes and some great friends but we were able to have a 2+ hour dinner with them. That is when you know you have good people in your life. And then we had Justin’s party the next day (sorry, we were a little late, lol) and dinner with their whole family after. Just the best people.

I went to a birthday brunch that morning for a Fit4Mom friend, and although service was regrettable, I had a great time with so many of my friends and some new friends that I made in the moment.

5) This weekend may be Labor Day, but Alex has to work. We are just going to try to spend as much time with Ali, Justin, and Ryan before they leave on their European adventure!

4 Comments

Yes, now Granmommy can smile and relax! Emmie has ridden Brian, so I can check off the biggest item that was left on my bucket list!
As Susie has said, Brian has always been her special buddy and he came into our lives at the perfect moment.

Susie was turning 13, as was he, and she was starting to show signs of Crohns Disease, but we didn’t know that yet. She didn’t feel well, she was very tired and in pain (which progressed to really big PAIN) but the thought of seeing Brian got Susie out of bed in the mornings that first summer and then all of the next year. Brian was bilaterally lame, but we didn’t know that either. He had/has a very high pain threshold so he wasn’t showing us that he was “off.”
Neither one of them was “sound” but they had a relationship built on trust, love and the knowledge that “you don’t have to be perfect to be just fine,” When they went into the show ring, and they were on the same page, they were unbeatable!
Living in Georgia, we don’t have dirt, we have clay. When clay gets wet, it dries into brick. Have you ever had a clay facial? Well, you know what I mean. It is impossible to get the orange out that clay leaves behind. A big white horse, in Georgia, is a great big Cheeto, when he rolls in the mud.
Given the thickness of Brian’s mane and tail–you know what I spent my time doing during show season, it was OxyClean to the rescue!
Susie has always wanted her first child to meet Brian, and that became our job to keep him healthy so that he could do that. Of course, we would never let him suffer, but he’s like the energizer bunny, he just keeps going!

If you have never had the opportunity to know and love a horse, you have missed one of the greatest gifts of this life. Go find one to pat, give treats to and just talk to. You don’t have to own one, just being in the presence of these huge animals is all it takes!

Alex, I will make sure that Emmie has a pony to ride, she inherited the horse-lover gene (Thank God!!)

I just wrote the most beautiful comment, and then my computer ate it….. 🙁

So, let me just say that seeing Emmie ride Brian and smiling like crazy was worth all of the years of waiting!

My little girl’s best buddy, who got her through a lot of terrible pain and illness, made her little girl laugh!

Seeing Emmie sitting on Brian, while he was being led by Susie, was one of the highlights of my life. There has been a team of us who have worked hard to keep Brian in the best health possible so that we could all share that moment.
…..and if you look in Brian’s eyes, you know that he was having the best time of all of us!

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Suzlyfe is a Chicago-based healthy life, fitness, running, and food blog that aims to educate, connect, and inspire: educate readers in an accessible way about fitness, running, and wellness; connect readers to myself (Susie) and others with the same interests and passions; and inspire all to live a life beyond expectations.Email Me

Though I am a RRCA Certified Running Coach and NASM Certified Personal Trainer with a chronic illness, a physician husband, and a lot of experience, and though I may seem like a know it all, please remember that all views expressed on my blog are mine along. Consult your physician before making any personal changes to your mental or physical health and wellness programs.